I cried real tears of joy - Recovered COVID patient thankful

Mary*, 42, has now joined the list of the more than one million persons who have survived the fight against the coronavirus.

Mary is of Jamaican descent and has been living in London, England, for 10 years. She tested negative for the virus on May 4 after almost a month of isolation at home.

The entrepreneur first tested positive on April 10 and was immediately isolated. Her husband and daughter were also tested, but their tests returned negative.

"I did the follow-up test, and thanks be to God, I am free. Trust me, I cried real tears of joy! It is like a weight is lifted off your shoulders," she told THE WEEKEND STAR.

She recounted several instances when she was left to think that recovering was just a pipe dream.

"My doctor had more faith in me than me because in the situation, you can't help but feel like this is the end ... especially when you see what's happening in the news. You know how many times I asked myself if I have a chance of survival? I was constantly doubting that I could recover from this. The fear overpowered everything else," she said. "He (doctor) would call me like every two days to check up on me."

FAMILY VISITS

Throughout her isolation, her family could not physically visit her, and she describes this as the most challenging part of her journey to recovery.

"My husband and daughter are finally able to come back home. Imagine battling a virus and your immediate family cannot be with you through all of that. That is what made it easier to give up as well ... there's nobody around you to say, 'you can beat this'. The only voice you're hearing is yours," she said. Though her health has improved, there's still room for improvement.

"My breathing got better a day at a time. I could feel it, but still, you are able to feel that your body is not 100 per cent. Even now I'm not 100. But with family back with me soon, it should be easy for my system to get back up running. I'm still intaking a lot of water as advised by my doctor, too. I am looking forward to reclaiming my life," she said.

*name changed